As your child grows and becomes interested in activities, it will be up to you to help guide them in choosing the right ones for them. You may not always know until the after-school classes have been tried whether they are right, and it can get time-consuming and expensive to sift your way through them.
How can you decipher what is a good idea and what is not, as far as classes go? Here are a few guidelines to help you along your way.
What Can You Afford?
This will play a huge role in deciding on what lessons or classes your child will be involved in. Is it reasonable when you consider the cost of the activity, or is signing up for it going to put you under financial pressure? No matter how much your child likes the activity, how much can you actually afford?
What Is Your Child’s Passion?
What is your child most interested in? You will likely already have a good idea of what your child is passionate about. Sit down and brainstorm with your child on what might be a new idea of something that still falls in line with what their passion is.
What Are the Benefits of This Activity?
For every activity your child chooses, make a list of all potential benefits of learning and participating in this activity. Does it offer a chance to expand their knowledge of the world? Will they learn a second language, or does it have health benefits or provide exercise? The more benefits an activity offers, the greater chance that it is a wise investment.
What Are the Drawbacks of This Activity?
There are drawbacks to every activity. When you are sifting through endless possibilities, put each idea to the test as to whether it has more drawbacks than what it is worth. Is the activity overly pricey? Does it come with the risk of long-term physical injury? Does it require more time than your child is able to invest in it? Consider every possibility carefully.
How Much Will It Interrupt Your Schedule?
How much extra time do you actually have? For each activity you are considering, how much of your already busy schedule will it take? Be sure you have thought about this factor, as it will surely become a sore point if not taken into consideration.
Does It Fall in Line with Your Family’s Long-Term Goals?
Every family has different long-term goals. What is right for someone else’s family may not be right for yours. How does each after school club activity under consideration contribute to your family’s goals, aspirations and unique choices? Make a list and give more consideration to the activities that fall in line with your family’s own personal truths.
There are so many extracurricular activities to choose from for your child, that you need to be wise when making those choices. Make a list of all possible activities, and then make another list of questions to ask about each one. In no time, you will narrow down your choices and find activities that are suitable and beneficial for your child and your entire family.
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